THE WHITETAIL

WHITE-TAILED DEER are the most recognizable of all the game animals in Texas. They are as equally at home in the wild and lonely brushlands of the Texas Panhandle as they are in the suburbs around San Antonio.

The Texas deer population is estimated to be 5.4 million animals. While densities vary by region, the Hill Country tends to have the largest concentration of deer. In contrast, drier areas of the Trans-Pecos with limited habitat have some of the lowest densities. In size, whitetails are about three feet high at the shoulder; the largest bucks can weigh more than 200 pounds.

The deer gets its name from the white hair exhibited from the underside when the tail is raised to signal other deer that danger is nearby. Texas’ other species, the mule deer, has a white rump and a tail tipped by black fur. The mule deer doesn’t flag like the whitetail, so their backside is always white.

SCOUTING IT OUT

YOU'VE SECURED a place to hunt, and now comes the scouting. Scouting can be a year-round activity to determine deer movement over the seasons. Whitetails, like people, are creatures of habit. Their travel patterns are somewhat predictable as they go about their daily feeding and loafing.

Many hunters utilize game cameras as their eyes in the field to understand deer movement and to identify individual deer in an area. A few game pictures won’t necessarily give you much of an idea of deer habits, but thousands of images over time can help you develop movement patterns and discover how things like weather and moon phase affect deer and the areas in which they move.

Perhaps the factor that influences deer movement most is the availability of food. All year, deer shift their patterns to take advantage of the available food in a particular area. When scouting, key in on areas that include food sources such as oak trees (acorns), agricultural crops or food plots. Since deer often take the path of least resistance, they’ll make trails to and from their favorite haunts, so look for fresh tracks and well-worn areas that indicate where deer are moving.

As the breeding season comes closer, bucks will leave “calling cards” to signal their presence to does. Scrapes and rubs are sure-fire signs that bucks are present. For whitetails, it’s not a bad idea to scout early and often. 

HEAD TO THE RANGE

WHETHER HUNTING with a firearm or a bow, you owe it to yourself and the game you’ll hunt to practice often. An accurate shot is essential for a humane harvest, so as an ethical hunter, you need to practice to ensure that you hit your mark.

Rough handling of a gun or bumping the scope can affect the alignment and your accuracy. With a trip to the shooting range, your gun will place a bullet precisely where you aim it.

It’s also essential for you to understand and be prepared for the recoil a rifle presents. Accurate shooting involves muscle memory, and that skill can be developed only with thoughtful repetition on the range.

Bowhunting for deer presents challenges that transcend hunting deer with a firearm. Practicing often is the only way to condition yourself for the rigors of drawing a bow and holding the arrow on target for an accurate shot.

No matter your means of hunting deer, a thorough knowledge of the equipment and its capabilities and limitations is essential. Find a place to shoot and practice often.  

GEARING UP

The gear for deer hunting can be as simple or extensive as you’d like. Manufacturers sell a dizzying amount of equipment to make your hunt more successful. Do you need it all? Definitely not. The cool thing about deer hunting is that — with good scouting and sound technique — your gear needs are relatively simple.  

CAMO AND OTHER GEAR

DEER HAVE GOOD eyesight and are adept at picking up the slightest movement. Camo clothing is typically worn by most Texas deer hunters on private lands when they know the other hunters and where they’ll be.

Many hunters don hunter orange over their clothing to let other hunters know of their specific location. It is required on public land hunting — with 144 square inches of the color on front and back, plus head gear as well.

Depending on where you hunt in Texas, you can experience weather from subtropical to downright frigid during a season, so dressing in layers is a reasonable consideration.

In deer hunting, the key is to stay as hidden as possible and move as little as possible. Some hunters accomplish this by hunting from blinds or elevated box stands. These elevated hunting platforms serve as a place to hide, a place out of the weather and a place that conceals movements and makes long waits for deer more comfortable and bearable.

Drive around a rural area and you’re bound to see a deer blind parked in a pasture. Bowhunters often hunt from similar blinds.

In parts of the state where the trees permit, they’ll hunt from elevated tree stands. Tree stands don’t limit the view as much, but they are exposed to the weather.

Are blinds or stands essential for deer hunting? Nope. If you’ve got a spot on the ground that offers a good view and safe shooting, that will suffice.

Aside from the basics, a good set of binoculars is advisable as well (especially in places with antler restrictions). Scopes aren’t the correct equipment to watch deer, and you should aim your firearm only when you intend to shoot. Therefore, to safely watch deer before you shoot, use binoculars.   

LICENSE, PERMITS AND REGULATIONS

TEXAS REQUIRES a hunting license for anyone who hunts.

The price varies depending on age, license types and other factors. Licenses are readily available in person at sporting goods retailers or TPWD field offices, and online through the TPWD website.

Hunter Education is a good idea for anyone who hunts. It teaches valuable information and skills to make every outdoor excursion a safe and responsible one and is required if you were born on or after Sept. 2, 1971.

Hunter safety education comes in many forms but essentially consists of six hours of classroom or online training, plus field training for hunters under 17 years old. An online-only version is also available for hunters 17 and over.

Before you go afield, take the time to understand all the game laws and limits for each area you hunt at outdoorannual.com.

GUNS AND BOWS AND AMMO

THERE IS A seemingly endless array of cartridge types and firearm calibers that you can use to pursue deer. Ask any longtime deer hunters their advice on the best caliber and you’ll get a variety of answers.

Common calibers used for Texas whitetails are .243, .270 or .30-06, with bullet weights matched to the type of hunting. Bullet weight is measured in grains; the bigger the number, the heavier the bullet. The caliber of the firearm speaks to the diameter of the bullet fired from the rifle. Usually, this is expressed as the decimal equivalent to a hundredths of an inch or in millimeters such as 6mm or 7mm, equivalent to .24 and .30 calibers.

The best type of firearm or bow to use is generally based on personal preference. If you are a beginner at deer hunting, ask someone who is a seasoned deer hunter or visit your local sporting goods store for some expert advice.  

STAYING SAFE

WITH ANY kind of hunting, safety is paramount. The No. 1 cause of deer-hunting incidents is having loaded firearms in and around vehicles. Always keep firearms unloaded and with actions open, until you are in the blind or hunting spot and ready to take a shot.

Also, always be sure of your target and what lies beyond your target. With the high-powered rifles used in deer hunting, bullets can travel far distances and affect objects beyond your target.

“Mistaken for game” incidents are rare, but can still occur. Wearing blaze orange — even on private land — can help mitigate those kinds of mistakes.

CHECK FOR CWD

AS OF JULY, nearly 400 captive or free-ranging deer in 14 Texas counties have tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). If left unmanaged, CWD can have catastrophic, long-term impacts. To protect our deer, hunters are encouraged to take their harvest to a testing site (find the closest one here) this season.

Biologists can gather statewide data to try to reduce the risk of CWD spread.

For affected counties, this testing is mandatory.